Monday morning's latte tasted particularly good to Margie Smith as she sat in a Wodonga cafe to drink it.
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"It is just a pleasure," she said.
"I've just made a nail appointment for tomorrow, now to come and have my regular coffee, it's wonderful.
"It's nice to be able to see other people out and about, that's the main thing."
Mrs Smith and the other patrons at Blind Freddy's Cafe joined people across the Border and North East taking advantage of COVID-19 restrictions easing in Victoria and NSW.
Pubs, cafes and restaurants can offer more dine-in services while libraries, galleries and museums have also reopened. The number of people allowed into venues varies between the states.
Mrs Smith felt Victoria's restrictions should have been relaxed sooner.
"I think we were way behind the eight-ball to NSW," she said.
"We should be all giving our businesses more, we were all happy to do it, it's just we weren't given the opportunity to do it.
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Blind Freddy's Cafe opened at 7am, with owner John Miseski saying there had been a steady flow of customers.
"Because of the rain, I think everyone was sort of still sleeping in, so it was nice to get that ease-in," he said with a grin.
He praised customers for accepting the extra measures needed, such as providing contact details.
"People have been great with it," he said.
On Wodonga's High Street, Twin City Tattoo and Body Piercing reopened with a 20-customer limit.
"We're flat out working, the phone won't stop ringing and people are standing at the counter," owner Brett Collins said.
Customers had about a week's notice the business could start up again.
"We got down the shop, through Messenger and answering the phone we've pretty much booked ourselves out for the next week; people need their tattoo fix," Mr Collins said, with a laugh.
Albury venues like the Commercial and SS&A clubs also opened their doors, as did council facilities including the Library Museum.
Regular library patrons Graham Lansdown and David Hunter were pleased they could finally return.
"I've been coming past in my walks, daily walk, and just checking," Mr Lansdown said.
"I knew it would eventually open soon."
Even though the daily newspapers were not yet made available, the friends appreciated getting back their meeting place.
"I read the papers, I borrow books, I'm disappointed that it's been closed but that's the way it goes," Mr Hunter said.
